Maundy Thursday - from the first Eucharist and passionate gospels to prejudice. Passionate gospels

April 28 this year is a special day - Maundy Thursday. In our Temple in the morning the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, and in the evening - reading the 12 Gospels of the Holy Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Great Lent is over. Passion Week is coming - the Holy Days have come. Maundy or Maundy Thursday, on this day we remember the established at the last supper Through Jesus Christ, the Sacrament of the Eucharist, at the time of something-ro-go, all who believe under the guise of bread and ve-na taste the true Body and Blood Hri-hundred-you. At the Last Supper, the Lord pre-lo-lo-sweet bread and, having spoken blessedly, gave apo-hundred lamas with words: “this is My Body, which is for thank you; these things do-ri-those in My conception ”. Taking cha-shu and bla-go-viv it, said: “drink all of it; For this is My Blood, for many, for many, for the forgiveness of sins. "

In the evening, 12 Passionate Gospels were read. Amazing service. It is no coincidence that they are so concentrated, quiet and unusually strong. These Holy days from childhood cut into our lives. It is amazing that we no longer just say that we know - yes, God exists, but we empathize and through this we believe and trust Christ the Son of God.

"I carry a passionate candle from the Gospels, I look at the flickering light: he is a saint. Silent night, but I am very afraid: it will go out! I will inform you - I will live until next year. The old cook is glad that I brought it. She washes her hands, takes the holy light, lights our icon lamp, and we go to burn the crosses. We burn it over the kitchen door, then in the cellar, in the barn ... It seems to me that Christ is in our yard. And in the cowshed, and in the stables, and in the cellar, and everywhere. In the black cross from mine candles - Christ came. And that's all - for Him, what we do. The yard is clean swept, and all the corners are cleaned, and even under the shed, where there was manure. These are extraordinary days - passionate. Christ's days. Now I'm not afraid of anything: I pass through the dark passage - and nothing, because Christ is everywhere. " ("The Lord's Summer" Ivan Shmelev)

THE READING OF THE TWELVE GOSPELS ON MERGY THURSDAY

Reading the Twelve Gospels on Maundy Thursday evening

The general scheme of the Divine Matins on Good Friday.

Used materials of books:

"Services of Holy Week", "Prayer Book of Great Lent", "Collection of church hymns with their translation into Russian" and "Lenten Spring ...".

Translation of antiphons and some chants is taken from the site

According to the Church Charter, the following of the holy passions should begin at 8 pm on Maundy Thursday. In its liturgical form, it is matins of good friday with twelve Gospel readings, between which antiphons are sung and read, and the sequence of Matins is located. The content of the Gospels and the sequels is dedicated to the farewell conversation of Jesus Christ with His disciples at the Last Supper, His betrayal by Judas, the trial of Him by the chief priests and Pilate, His crucifixion and, in part, burial. In time, these events refer to the night from Thursday to Friday and to the day of Good Friday until the evening of it.

After the Six Psalms, the troparion "When the Glory of the Disciple" and the Little Litany, the worshipers light candles and, as it were, enter into the deep darkness of the Gethsemane night, which is now enveloping the world. The reading of the twelve Gospels begins. This is a very ancient order. In the Jerusalem church in the first centuries of Christianity, the Gospel was read all night in those places where the Lord taught His disciples before suffering - on the Mount of Olives, where he was taken into custody - in Gethsemane, where he was crucified - on Golgotha. At night, passing from one forever memorable place to another, illuminating the rocky path with lamps, the faithful walked at the feet of the Lord with prayer.

The Twelve Gospels are from four evangelists. In the intervals between readings, it is customary to sing 15 antiphons, complementing and explaining the course of the Gospel events. Believers are called by the Church to live with Christ the events of those terrible hours when the Savior prayed to His Father until bloody sweat ... and was not heard, that is, he did not receive what He wanted as a Man - to avoid suffering. He concluded His prayer with an expression of complete devotion to the will of the Father: “but not as I want, but as You ...” Again listening to the words of the Gospel, believers become, as it were, accomplices in the event described in the Gospels. The suffering of the Lord is experienced and becomes part of a personal spiritual experience. It is in empathy with Christ that the meaning of the antiphons of this service is. Their text was probably compiled in the 5th century. But even earlier, in the 2nd century, the earliest surviving monuments of Christian liturgical poetry, the poem of St. Meliton of Sardinia "On Easter", were performed. Its text formed the basis of antiphons, which were sung for 15 centuries, first in Byzantium, then in Russia.

According to the Church Charter, the pursuit of the holy passions should begin at 8 pm. In its liturgical form, this is the matins of Good Friday with twelve Gospel readings, between which antiphons are sung or read, and the succession of Matins is located. The content of the Gospels and the sequels is dedicated to the farewell conversation of Jesus Christ with His disciples at the Last Supper, His betrayal by Judas, the trial of Him by the chief priests and Pilate, His crucifixion and, in part, burial. In time, these events refer to the night from Thursday to Friday and to the day of Good Friday until the evening of it.

After the priest's blessing, the usual beginning of Matins, the Six Psalms, a short augmented litany with the usual exclamation: Yako befits You ... it is sung in the voice of 8 Alleluia, with verses recited by the deacon or priest:

1. 
   From the night my spirit is maturing to You, O God, beyond the light - Your commands on earth.
2. 
   Learn the truth, living on earth.
3. 
   People who are not punished will accept envy.
4. 
   Apply evil to them, Lord, apply evil to the glorious earth.

After each verse is sung: Alleluia (thrice)

According to Alleluia, the troparion is sung three times in the same voice:

When I am enlightened to the glory of a disciple at the supper, then Judas, the wicked love of money, became darkened, and betrayed Thee, the Righteous Judge, to the wicked judges. See, you have used these estates for the sake of strangling! Run unfulfilled souls, to the Teacher such daring. Alike about all the Good, Lord, glory to Thee.

During the singing of Alleluia ... and the troparion, the royal gates open; The Holy Gospel is brought out in the middle of the church in the offering of candles and relies on a lectern. The abbot censes the Holy Gospel, the altar, the iconostasis, the entire church and worshipers.

At the end of the singing of the troparion, there is a small litany:

Packs and packs ...and the exclamation of the priest:

Like Thy power, and Thine is the Kingdom, and power, and glory, of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Chorus:Amen.

The believers in the temple hold candles in their hands, which are lit while reading the Gospels.

The priest or deacon proclaims:And about being vouchsafed to us: hearing the Holy Gospel, we pray to the Lord God.

Chorus:Lord have mercy(three times).

Deacon:Wisdom, forgive me, let us hear the Holy Gospel reading.

Priest:Peace to all.

Chorus:And perfume yours.

Priest:Reading from John of the Holy Gospel.

Chorus:Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee.

Deacon:Let's take it.

Thus, the reading of each Gospel is preceded. The Church Rite says that the first passionate Gospel is read by the abbot, and during the reading of the subsequent ones, the priests alternate in reading one after another. During the reading, the bell is struck as many times as the Gospel is read in order: when reading the first Gospel - once, the second a, the third - three, etc. At the end of the reading of the twelfth Gospel, there is a ringing.

First Gospel of John (XIII, 31 - XVIII, 1) – it is the Lord's farewell conversation with His disciples.

It ends, like all others, with singing: Glory to Thy longsuffering, O Lord.

Following this, antiphons are sung.

Antiphon 1st, ch. eight

The princes of the people are gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.
You put the criminal word on Me. Lord, Lord, do not leave Me.
Our feelings are pure in Christ and we will imagine, and as for His friends, we will devour our souls for His sake, and we will not be intimidated by the cares of everyday life as if Judas, but in our cages we cry out: Our Father, like in heaven, deliver us from the evil one!

Glory…

Theotokos:

The Virgin gave birth to you, the Unmarried, and the Virgin was there, you are Mother of the Unmarried, the Mother of God Mary: pray Christ our God, be saved to us.

Antiphones 2nd, ch. 6

Leakage of the verb of Judas by the wicked scribe: What do you want to give to me, and I will give Him to you? Among those who deliberate, Thou Himself stood invisibly Counselor; Heartfelt, spare our souls.
We will serve the grace of God, like Mary at the supper, and we will not attain the love of money, like Judas; may we always be with Christ God.

Glory…

Theotokos:

You have given birth to him, Virgo, inexpressibly, I’ll take out as if you don’t stop praying for a Man-lover, but everyone who comes running to you will save from troubles.

Antiphones 3rd, ch. 2

Lazarev for the sake of the uprising, Lord, Hosanna to You, Jewish children, Human-loving. But the wicked Judas do not understand the delight.

At Thy supper, Christ God, Thy disciple, Thou didst say: One of you will betray Me. But the wicked Judas do not understand the delight.

I asked John: Lord, betray Thee who is? you showed him with bread. But the wicked Judas do not understand the delight.

On thirty pieces of silver, Lord, and on a flattering kiss, Judah's claim to kill Ty. But the wicked Judas do not understand the delight.

In Thy ablution, Christ God, Thou art a disciple, Thou hast commanded: do the same, as you see. But the wicked Judas do not understand the delight.

Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into an attack, Thy disciple, Christ our God, you said. But the wicked Judas do not understand the delight.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Save your servants from troubles, the Mother of God, as if everything according to Bose we run to You, like an indestructible wall and intercession.

After the small litany, the exclamation is sung the sedal, ch. 7:

At the supper, disciples nourishing, and knowing the pretense of tradition, on it you denounced Judas, uncorrected for this knowing; to cognize to all, though, as if by will you gave yourself up, but keep the world from the alien: Long-suffering, glory to Thee.

Second Gospel of John (XVIII, 1-28) – about the capture of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, about interrogation by the high priest, about the denial of Peter.

Antiphones 4th, ch. 5

Today Judas leaves the Teacher and accepts the devil, the passion of love of money is blinded, the darkened light falls away. How can you see the Luminary sold in thirty pieces of silver? But the Suffering for the world ascends to us, we cry out to Him: suffering and compassionate man, Lord, glory to Thee.

Today Judas pretends piety and is alienated from gifts, this disciple is a traitor; in an ordinary kiss, flattery covers up, and prefers the Lord's to love, it is senseless to work over love of money, the mentor of the former cathedral of the lawless; we are the property of the salvation of Christ, we will glorify Him.

Voice 1. Brotherly love is acquired as in Christ, the brethren, and not unmerciful to our neighbors: may we not be condemned unmerciful servant, for the sake of penalties, and as Judas repented, we use nothing.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Glorious about You, saying everywhere, as if you gave birth to the flesh of all the Creator, the Mother of God Mary, the All-Singing and Inexperienced.

Antiphones 5th, ch. 6

The disciple of the Teacher will agree on the price and sell the Lord for thirty pieces of silver, with a flattering kiss, betraying Him to death as the wicked.
Today, to the verb, the Creator of heaven and earth, by His disciple: the hour is approaching, and Judas will give me over to sleep; Yes, no one will reject Me, in vain is Me on the Cross in the middle of two robber, I suffer as a man, and I will save as a Humanitarian believer in Me.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Inexpressibly, in the last conceived and giving birth to Thy Creator, Him pray that our souls be saved.

Antiphones 6, ch. 7

Today Judas is vigilant to betray the Lord, the Everlasting Savior of the world, Who, from five, has fed the bread of the multitude. Today the wicked is swept aside by the Teacher, the former disciple, betrayed the Lord, sold in silver, fed the manna with manna.
Today you nail the Lord to the Jew, who crossed the sea with a rod and led them into the wilderness. Today I have pierced His ribs with a copy, wounding them with ulcers for the sake of Egypt; and gave them bile, and manna the food they consumed.
Lord, when you came to free passion, you cried out as Your disciple: if you could not watch with Me for one hour, what promise would you like to die for Me? See how Judas is awake, but is trying to betray Me to the wicked. Rise up, pray, but not anyone will reject Me, in vain is Me on the Cross. Long-suffering, glory to Thee.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Rejoice, Mother of God, Who is incompatible in heaven, containing in Thy womb. Rejoice, Virgin, preaching of the prophets, Immanuel ascends to us as well; rejoice, Mother of Christ God.

After the Lesser Litany and the exclamation of the priest, the sedal is sung, ch. 7:

Kiy thee image, Judo, made a traitor to the Savior? Food from the face of the apostolic parting? Food for bestowing lichen healings? Having eaten my supper in silence, will I take you away from your meal? Having washed your other feet, despise yours? Thou art not mindful of colic blessings! And your ubo ungrateful disposition is exposed. Forbearance and great mercy are preached to the same immeasurable one.

Third Gospel of Matthew (XXVI, 57-75) – about the judgment of the Lord by Caiaphas, about the decision of the Sanhedrin to put Christ to death, about the denial of Peter.

Antiphones 7, ch. eight

Thou hast eaten the lawless, enduring, sitsu cried out, O Lord: if the Shepherd was defeated and the Shepherd was thrown away, My disciples, I could better represent Angels than two ten legions. But I will be longsuffering, that it may be fulfilled, even that My prophets have revealed to you, unknown and secret: Lord, glory to Thee.
Trisha, Peter rejected, abie spoken to him by reason, but bring to You tears of repentance: God, cleanse me and save me.

Glory…

Theotokos:

As the gates of salvation and the red paradise, and the Light of the ever-present cloud, let us sing of all the Holy Virgin, saying to Her, rejoice hedgehog.

Antiphones 8, ch. 2

Ugh, iniquity, what do you hear from our Savior? Do you not lay down a law and a prophetic doctrine? How can you think of betraying Pilate, Who is from God, God the Word and the Deliverer of our souls?

May he be crucified, crying out of Your gifts, ever enjoying, and the villain instead of the Benefactor, I ask to accept, the righteous murderers; Thou art silent, Christ, enduring their severity, suffer though and save us, like a Man-lover.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Like imams of boldness for many of our sins, You, who are born from You, pray, Virgin Mary: much more can the Mother's prayer to the Lord's mercy. Do not despise sinful entreaties, All-Pure One, for there is Merciful and save the mighty, Whoever willed him to suffer for us.

Antiphones 9, ch. 3

Putting thirty pieces of silver the price of the Tsenenago, He also appreciated from the children of Israel. Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation; the spirit is vigorous, but the flesh is weak; for this sake watch out.
Dasha for My food, bile, and for My thirst, give Me otsta; But you, Lord, raise me up, and I will repay them.

Glory…

Theotokos:

We sing the same from the tongue to Thee, the Pure Mother of God, as if you gave birth to Christ our God, from the oath of a man who was free by You.
(We, called from the nations, praise Thee, pure Theotokos, for You gave birth to Christ our God, who freed people from the curse through You.)

After litanies and exclamations - sedal, ch. eight:

Oh, what Judas is sometimes Your disciple, betrayal of Thee, flattering candlelight, libel and unrighteous? Shed, spoken by the priest: what do you give me and give you Onago, the law that ruined and defiled the Sabbath? Long-suffering Lord, glory to Thee.

Fourth Gospel of John (XVIII, 28; XIX, 1-16) – interrogation by Pilate, the demand to release Barrabas instead of Christ, although Pilate is trying to prove His innocence. The flagellation of Christ and the consent of Pilate to give the Lord to the people for crucifixion.

Antiphones 10, ch. 6

Dress with light, like a garment, standing naked in court, and the emphasis on the bow is a pleasure from the hands, which is also created; for iniquity, people on the Cross nail the Lord of Glory; then the veil of the church was torn, the sun is darker, not enduring the sight of God, we are annoyed, He is also trembling in every way. Let us bow to him.

The disciple has rejected, the robber cry out: remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Calm down the world, you deigned from the Virgin, Lord, carry the flesh for slaves, but according to You we glorify, Human-loving.

Antiphones 11, ch. 6

For good, even Thou didst create, Christ, the Hebrew clan, to crucify Thy condemnation, otsta and bile to drink Thy. But grant them, Lord, according to their deed, as if not understanding Your descent.

You are not happy about betrayal, Christ, give birth to Jewry, but pokivah with your heads, bringing blasphemy and abuse. But grant them, Lord, according to their deed, as if they did not understand Your gaze.

Below the earth as if shook, below the stone as if it was sitting, admonishing the Jews, below the church veil, below the dead resurrection. But grant them, Lord, according to their deeds, as if in vain have studied Thee.

Glory…

Theotokos:

God from Thee incarnate by the knowledge, Virgin Mary, One Pure, One Blessed: by this we ceaselessly magnify Thee, singing praises.

Antiphones 12, ch. eight

This is what the Lord says to the Jew: My people, what have I done to you? Or why are you cold? Your blind men are enlightened, you have cleansed the lepers, you have raised up your husband, who is on your bed.

My people, what have I done to you, and what will I reward? Bile for manna; oset for water; for the hedgehog to love Me, to the Cross of Me being nailed. To whom I hate the rest, I will call on My tongues, and they will glorify Me with the Father and the Spirit, and I will give them an eternal belly.

Today the church curtain on the exposure of the wicked is being torn, and the sun is hiding its rays, the Vladyka is crucified in vain.

The law-makers of Israel, to the Jews and the Pharisees, the apostolic face cries out to you: behold the Temple, whose destiny you are, behold the Lamb, whom you will crucify and betray the grave; but He is risen to His power. Do not flatter, you Jew; That bo is, Izhe rescued in the sea and in the desert nourished; That is the Belly, and the Light, and the World are world.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Rejoice, the gates of the King of Glory, even the Highest One will pass and leave the packs sealed, for the salvation of our souls.

Litany, exclamation and sedation, ch. eight:

When you appeared to Caiaphas, God, and surrendered yourself to Pilate, Judge, the heavenly powers were shaken by fear. When you ascended on a tree in the midst of two to a robber, you were credited with the wicked, Sinless, for the hedgehog to save a man; Good Lord, glory to Thee.

Fifth Gospel (XXVII, 3-32) – about the suicide of Judas, about the trial of Pilate and his "washing of hands", the mockery of the soldiers, the way to Calvary.

Antiphones 13, ch. 6

The Jewish congregation asked Pilate to crucify Thee, O Lord; I have not found guilt in You, I have freed the guilty Barabbas, and You, the Righteous One, have condemned the sin of the foul murder inherited. But grant them, O Lord, their reward, as if you have studied in vain for Thee.

All of him are terrified and tremble, and every tongue sings, Christ, God's Power and God's Wisdom, priests hit and give him bile for the tongue; and all you want to suffer, save us though from our iniquities with His Blood, like a Man-lover.

Glory…

Theotokos:

The Mother of God, who gave birth to a word rather than a word, Her Creator; Pray that our souls be saved.

Antiphones 14, ch. eight

Lord, I have received a robber companion, having defiled a desecration in the blood, and bring us down with him, as it is Good and Humanitarian.

A small voice emit the robber on the cross, you have found great faith, in a single moment you were saved and the first, the heavenly gates opened, into the entrance; Similarly, the repentance is perceived, Lord, glory to Thee.

Glory…

Theotokos:

Rejoice, having received the joy of the world with an angel. Rejoice, having given birth to Thy Creator and Lord. Rejoice, who has been vouchsafed to be the Mother of God.

Antiphones 15, ch. 6

Today it hangs on a tree, Hanging the earth on the waters; a crown of thorns is levied, Like the King of Angels; puts on a false crimson robe, clothe the sky with clouds; choking is pleasant, Even in the Jordan free Adam; nail the Bridegroom of the Church; a copy of the Son of the Virgin. We worship Thy Passion, Christ. We worship Thy Passion, Christ. We worship Thy Passion, Christ. Show us your glorious Resurrection.

We do not celebrate as a Jew, for Christ devoured our Passover for us: but let us cleanse ourselves of all filthiness and pray purely to Him: rise up, Lord, save us, as a lover of mankind.

Thy Cross, O Lord, life and intercession for Thy people is, and for the hopeful one, we sing to Thee of our crucified God: have mercy on us.

Glory…

Theotokos:

They see Ty visima, Christ, Who gave birth to you crying out: what strange hedgehog I see the sacrament, My Son? How is it set on the tree of dying flesh, the Giver of Life?

After the litany and the exclamation, the sedalen chapter 4 is sung, which usually sounds differently, not “in tune,” and only this melody, inherent in familiar words, rises in the silent church:

Sixth Gospel of Mark (XV, 16-31). In it - about the soldiers who are sophisticated in mockery of the Lord, about the procession to Golgotha ​​and the crucifixion.

The chanting of antiphons ended. The Beatitudes are sung with stichera:

In Thy Kingdom, remember us, Lord, when you come in Thy Kingdom.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for those are the Kingdom of Heaven.

The blessedness of crying, for they will be comforted.

The blessedness of crotzia, for they will inherit the earth.

The blesses of hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

By the tree of the Adam of paradise, the robber entered paradise with the tree of the godfather. You will taste the commandment, reject the Creation, but you will crucify the God of Thy concealing confession. Remember us, Savior, in Thy Kingdom.

Blessedness of mercy, as there will be mercy.

To the law of the Creator from the disciple who bought the lawlessness and, like a law-breaker, represented the Pilate's judgment, calling: crucify, in the desert this Mannodavshago. We, who imitated the righteous robber, call by faith: remember us, Savior, in Thy Kingdom.

Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they will see God.

The cathedral of the God-slayer, the unlawful Jewish language, to Pilate frantically calling, the verb: crucify the innocent Christ, let Barabbas go to us more. We say to Him a prudent voice of the robber: remember us, Savior, in Your Kingdom.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.

Thy life-giving ribs, like a source emanating from Eden, Thy Church, Christ, like a verbal solder paradise, from here dividing like in the beginning, in the four Gospels, soldering the world, a cheerful creature and tongues faithfully teaching to worship Thy Kingdom.

Be blessed to drive out the truth for the sake of those who are the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thou art crucified for my sake, but drain me abandonment; you were perforated in the ribs, and let out the drops of life; Thou art nailed with nails, but I assure you by the depth of Thy Passion to the height of Thy power, I call Thy: Life-giving Christ, glory to the Cross, Savior, and Thy Passion.

Be blessed, of course, when they revile you, and wear them out, and rekut every evil verb against you lying to Me for my sake.

To you crucified, Christ, all creation, seeing, trembling, the foundations of the earth tremble with fear of your power, the lights are hiding, and the veil of the church is torn apart, the mountains are trembling, and the stone spreads, and the faithful robber calls with us, Savior, remember him in your kingdom.

Rejoice and be merry, for your wages are much in heaven.

Thou art tore our manuscript on the Cross, O Lord, and, having been imputed to the dead, bound the torturer there, delivered everyone from the bonds of mortals by Thy Resurrection, who will be enlightened, Human-loving Lord, and cry to Thee: remember us, Savior, in Thy Kingdom.

Glory: of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all with one mind, faithfulness, praise worthily, let us pray, the Unit of the Divine, in the existing Triune Hypostasech, non-merged, abiding, simple, indivisible and unapproachable, We also get rid of fiery torment.

And now.

Theotokos:

Thy Mother, Christ, who gave Thy seedless flesh, and the Virgin truly, and remained incorruptible after birth, we bring this to Thy prayer, O Lord of the Most Merciful, forgiveness of sins is always given to those who call: remember us, Savior, in Thy Kingdom.

After the Lesser Litany, the prokeimenon is sung:

Divide My garments for myself and for My garments, the lot is met.

Poem:My God, My God, won’t Mi, did you leave Me?

Seventh Gospel of Matthew (XXVII, 33-54) - about the last minutes on the cross and the death of the Lord.

The 50th psalm is read.

The Eighth Gospel of Luke (XXIII, 32-49) – also about the crucifixion. The evangelists, repeating in the main, supplement the general picture of what was happening with individual details.

After the eighth Gospel, a triune is sung - a canon of three songs, compiled by the Monk Cosmas of Maium, conveying in a concise form the last hours of the Savior's stay with the apostles, Peter's denial and the torment of the Lord.

The great Heel trumpet

Song 5.

Irmos. From the morning I cry out to you, the Word of God, who humbled himself by mercy (his) immutably and to suffering impassively bowed down: grant me peace to the fallen, Human-loving man.

Having washed their feet and purified themselves with the communion of the divine sacrament, your servants, Christ, have now come with you from Zion to the great Mount of Olives, chanting you, Human-loving (Matt. 26, 30).

Look, friends, you said, do not be dismayed; for now the hour has come to me to be taken (and) slain by the hands of the wicked; you will all disperse, leaving me, (but) I will gather you - to preach about me the Man-lover (Matthew 24: 6, 26:45; John 17:32).

Song 8.

Irmos. The idol of godly wickedness was put to shame by the pious youths; and the gathering of the wicked, raging against Christ, is plotting in vain, intending to kill the One who holds life in (its) hand, whom all creation blesses, glorifying forever.

From your veins (your), you said to Christ to the disciples, shake off sleep now, and stay awake in prayer, so that you do not fall into temptation, especially you, Simon; for the strongest (comprehends) and the greatest temptation; know me, Peter, who blesses all creation, glorifying forever (Matt. 26, 40-41; Luke 21, 31).

I will never utter shameful words from my lips, Vladyka; I will die with you, as a (disciple) grateful, even if everyone rejected (you), exclaimed Peter; not flesh and blood, but your Father has revealed you to me, whom all creation blesses, glorifying forever (Matt. 16:17, 26:33, 53).

You have not explored the whole depth of divine wisdom and knowledge, and you have not comprehended the depths of my destinies, man, said the Lord; therefore, being flesh, do not be exalted; for thrice you will deny me, whom all creation blesses, glorifying forever (Rom. 11:33; Matt. 26, 34).

You deny this, Simon Peter, but soon you will be convinced of what has been said, and even one servant who approached will frighten you, the Lord said: but you will mourn bitterly and I will be merciful to you, whom all creation blesses, glorifying forever (Matt. 26: 7 –75).

Song 9.

Irmos. The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison of the Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word, the true Mother of God without corruption, we magnify you.

A destructive host of haters of God (and) a host of insidious deicides surrounded you, Christ, and as an unrighteous they attracted the Creator of all that we magnify (John 18: 3

The ninth Gospel of John (XIX, 25–37). In it we hear about the adoption by the Lord of the beloved disciple of His Mother and about the final word of the Lord: "It is finished."

Praiseworthy stichera:

Two and wicked create My first-born son Israel: For me, leave the Fountain of animal water, and a broken fossil for yourself; They crucified me on a tree, but ask Barabbas and let him go. The sky is terrified about this, and the sun's rays are hidden; But thou, Israel, thou art not ashamed, but thou hast given me over to death. Leave them, Holy Father, they do not know what you have done.

Kiyzhdo ud, your holy flesh, endured dishonor for us: thorns, head; face, spitting; jaw, hammering; mouth, dissolved bile in taste; ears, blasphemy evil; splashes, beats; and a hand, a cane; the whole body of stretching on the Cross; member, nails; and ribs, spear. Suffering for us and freeing us from the passions, descending to us with love for man and exalting us, O Almighty Savior, have mercy on us.

I swear by Thy, Christ, all creation, seeing, trembling, the foundations of the earth shook with fear of Thy power; For you I will ascend this day, the Jewish race to perdition, the church veil was torn in two, and the dead from the graves rose again; the centurion, seeing the miracle, was horrified. The forthcoming Thy Mother is crying, crying motherly: how can I not weep and my womb cannot be beaten, see Ty naga, as if condemned, hanging on a tree? Crucified and buried, and risen from the dead, Lord, glory to Thee.

Glory:

He took off My Riza and wrapped Me in a scarlet robe, placed a crown of thorns on my head and put a cane in my right hand, and I will crush them, like the vessels of a skudelnichi.

And now:

My splashes on my wounds, but you did not turn my face away from spitting, I was presented to Pilate's judgment and endured the Cross for the salvation of the world.

The tenth Gospel of Mark (XV, 43-47 ) . Here about the request of Joseph of Arimathea, who asked Pilate for permission to remove the Lord from the cross and bury, which had to be done very quickly, since it was Saturday, when it was strictly forbidden to do this.

The Great Doxology is not sung on this day - it is read. And after the litany, they begin:

Eleventh Gospel of John (XIX, 38-42). The apostle describes the same moment, adding only a few details.

The stichera are sung in verse:

All creation is changed by fear, see Thee hanging on the Cross, Christ: the sun is darkened, and the ground of the foundation is shaken, all compassion for the One who created everything. Enduring by our will for our sake, Lord, glory to Thee.

Poem:Divide My garments for myself and for My garments, the lot is met.

Are men of wickedness and iniquity taught in vain? Have you condemned everyone to death? A great miracle, as if the Creator of the world is betrayed into the hands of the wicked, and the Man-lover rises on the tree, even in Hell the yuzniks will free those who call: Long-suffering Lord, glory to Thee.

Poem:Dasha for My food, bile, and for My thirst, give Me otsta.

Today see Thy Immaculate Virgin on the Cross, the Word, exalted, weeping with the Mother's womb, biting the heart of a mountaineer, and groaning painfully from the depths of the soul, tormenting his face with hair. The same and persistent beating, crying out pitifully: alas for Me, Divine Child, alas for Me, the Light of the world, that thou came from my eyes, the Lamb of God? The same armies of the incorporeal, containing trembling byahu, saying: Incomprehensible Lord, glory to Thee.

Poem:But God, our King before the age, made salvation in the midst of the earth.

On the tree we see the visima, Christ, You, all the Creator and God, without seeds giving You birth, crying bitterly: My Son, where is the goodness of Your sight? I can't stand seeing You are crucified unrighteously; sweat ubo, rise up, as if I see Thy three-day Resurrection from the dead.

Glory:

Lord, ascending Ti to the Cross, fear and trembling attacked the creature, and the earth you forbade to swallow those who crucified you, but you commanded hell to let go of the yuzniki; for the renewal of men, Judge of the living and the dead, life came tribute, and not death. Humanitarian, glory to Thee.

And now:

The reed of utterance is already being washed away from the unrighteous judges, Jesus is judged, and condemned to the cross, and the creature suffers, on the Cross they see the Lord. But by the nature of the body, suffer for me for the sake of suffering, Good Lord, glory to Thee.

Twelfth Gospel of Matthew (XXVII, 62-66) – recalls the decision to guard and seal the coffin.

The priest takes the Gospel to the altar. The Royal Doors are closed.

The service ends with a troparion:

You have redeemed us from the legitimate oath of your honest Blood, having nailed yourself on the Cross and pierced with a spear, you have exuded immortality as a man, our Savior, glory to You.

Join the group and you will be able to view images in full size

The service of the Twelve Gospels is a Lenten service performed on the evening of Holy Thursday.
It contains the gospel of the suffering and death of the Savior, chosen from all the Evangelists and divided into twelve readings, according to the number of hours of the night, which indicates that believers should spend the whole night listening to the Gospels, like the apostles who accompanied the Lord to the garden of Gethsemane.
The reading of the Passionate Gospels is furnished with some peculiarities: it is preceded and accompanied by the singing corresponding to their content: "Glory to Thy longsuffering, O Lord," proclaimed by the gospel, heard by believers by lighted candles.
John Chrysostom already mentions the reading of the Passionate Gospels on this day.
***
In the evening on Maundy Thursday Matins of Good Friday is celebrated, or the service of the 12 Gospels, as this service is usually called. All this service is dedicated to the reverent remembrance of the saving suffering and death of the God-man on the cross. Every hour of this day there is a new deed of the Savior, and an echo of these deeds is heard in every word of the divine service.
In it, the Church reveals to the believers the full picture of the suffering of the Lord, from the bloody sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane to the crucifixion of Calvary. Carrying us mentally through the past centuries, the Church, as it were, brings us to the very foot of the cross of Christ and makes us anxious spectators of all the torments of the Savior. Believers listen to the Gospel stories with lighted candles in their hands, and after each reading through the lips of the singers they thank the Lord with the words: "Glory to Thy longsuffering, O Lord!" After each reading of the Gospel, the bell is struck accordingly.
In the intervals between the Gospels, antiphons are sung, which express indignation at the betrayal of Judas, the lawlessness of the Jewish leaders and the spiritual blindness of the crowd. “What reason made you, Judas, a traitor to the Savior? - it says here. - Did He excommunicate you from the face of the apostolic? Or did you deprive you of the gift of healings? Or, while celebrating the Supper with the others, he didn’t allow you to eat? Or did he wash his other feet, and despise yours? Oh, how many blessings you, ungrateful, have deserved. "
And then, as if on behalf of the Lord, the choir addresses the ancient Jews:
“My people, what have I done to you or how have I offended you? Has opened your sight to your blind, cleansed the lepers, raised the man on the bed. My people, what I have created for you and what you have repaid Me: for manna - bile, for water [in the wilderness] - vinegar, instead of love for Me, they nailed Me to the cross; I will no longer tolerate you, I will call upon My peoples, and they will glorify Me with the Father and the Spirit, and I will give them eternal life. "
After the sixth Gospel and the reading of the "blessed" with the troparions, there follows the triune canon, conveying in a concise form the last hours of the Savior's stay with the apostles, the denial of Peter and the torment of the Lord, and is sung three times by the luminaries.

Passionate Gospels:
1) John 13: 31-18: 1 (Farewell conversation of the Savior with the disciples and His high priestly prayer for them).
2) John 18: 1-28. (The taking of the Savior in the garden of Gethsemane and His suffering from the high priest Anna).
3) Matthew 26: 57-75. (The suffering of the Savior at the high priest Caiaphas and the denial of Peter).
4) John 18: 28-40,19: 1-16. (The suffering of the Lord at Pilate's trial).
5) Matthew 27: 3-32. (Despair of Judas, new sufferings of the Lord at Pilate and his condemnation to be crucified).
6) Mark 15: 16-32. (Leading the Lord to Calvary and His suffering on the Cross).
7) Matthew 27: 34-54. (Continuation of the story about the sufferings of the Lord on the Cross, miraculous signs that accompanied His death).
8) Luke 23: 32-49. (Prayer of the Savior on the Cross for the enemies and repentance of the prudent robber).
9) John 19: 25-37. (The words of the Savior from the Cross to the Mother of God and the Apostle John and the repetition of the story of His death and perforation)>.
10) Mark 15: 43-47. (Removing the body of the Lord from the Cross).
11) John 19: 38-42. (Participation of Nicodemus and Joseph in the burial of the Savior).
12) Matthew 27: 62-66. (Assigning guards to the Savior's tomb and sealing the tomb).

S.V. Bulgakov, Handbook for clergy

Word of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh on Great Thursday and the service of the twelve Gospels

In the evening or late at night on Holy Thursday, the story is read about the last meeting of the Lord Jesus Christ with His disciples around the Easter table and about the terrible night He spent alone in the Garden of Gethsemane in anticipation of death, the story about His crucifixion and about His death ...

Before us passes a picture of what happened to the Savior out of love for us; He could have avoided all this, if only he would have retreated, if only He would have wanted to save Himself and not complete the work for which He came! .. Of course, then He would not be Who He really was; He would not be divine love incarnate, He would not be our Savior; but at what cost love!

Christ spends one terrible night face to face with the coming death; and He fights this death, which comes upon Him inexorably, as a man fights before death. But usually a person simply dies defenselessly; something more tragic was going on here.

Before that, Christ said to His disciples: Nobody takes my life from Me - I freely give it ... And now He freely, but with what horror gave it ... The first time He prayed to the Father: Father! If I can avoid it - yes a blow job! .. and fought. And the second time He prayed: Father! If this cup cannot pass Me, let it be ... And only for the third time, after a new struggle, He could say: Thy will be done ...

We must think about this: we always - or often - it seems that it was easy for Him to give His life, being God who became a man: but He, our Savior, Christ, dies as a Man: not His immortal Deity, but His human , a living, truly human body ...

And then we see the crucifixion: how He was killed with a slow death and how He, without a single word of reproach, gave himself up to torture. The only words he addressed to the Father about the tormentors were: Father, forgive them - they do not know what they are doing ...
Here's what we must learn: in the face of persecution, in the face of humiliation, in the face of resentment - in front of a thousand things that are far, far from the very thought of death, we must look at the person who offends us, humiliates us, wants to destroy, and turn soul to God and say: Father, forgive them: they do not know what they are doing, they do not understand the meaning of things ...

Based on site materialshttps://azbyka.ru

On Maundy Thursday evening, or, better to say, on the night of Good Friday, a special service is performed according to the order of Matins, with the reading of the 12 Gospels about the Suffering of the Lord, alternating with corresponding hymns. The 12 Gospels read outlines the entire history of the Lord's suffering - from the farewell conversation with the disciples at the Last Supper to the removal from the Cross and the burial of the Lord's Body by Joseph and Nicodemus in the presence of the myrrh-bearing women. Let's take a closer look at the content of this service, which takes us to Calvary.

Jerusalem. Calvary

Matins begins as usual. After the Six Psalms and the Great Ectenia, "Alleluia" is sung with sweetness and the troparion "When the glorious disciple" is sung, as on the eve of Great Wednesday. The temple is filled with candles in hand. At the end of the troparion and the minor ectenia, the Lord's farewell conversation with His disciples is read in full according to the Gospel of John: "Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in Him ..." Despite the length of the conversation, she listens to it with unremitting attention and tenderness every time as something new. The author of these lines has the happiness and great joy during his 40-year priesthood to read this discourse of the Savior 37 times, and each time with the same emotion and consolation. A detailed account of the Lord's farewell conversation was made by us elsewhere in our manuscript, and we will not repeat it. Between the first six Gospels, 15 hymns are sung, called antiphons, three antiphons each between the Gospels. After every three antiphons, a minor ectenia is pronounced and a sedal is sung. The first antiphon begins with the words: "The princes of the people gathered together on the Lord and on His Christ." "You have laid the law-breaking word on Me, Lord, Lord, do not leave Me." “Let us present our feelings as pure to Christ,” it is sung in the first antiphon, “and, as friends, we will sacrifice our souls to Him. Let us not, like Judas, be suppressed by the cares of life, but from the depths of our hearts let us pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, save us from the evil one! "

“Judas hastens to the wicked scribes. - What will you give me and I will betray Him to you? In the midst of those who deliberated, there was invisibly the One about Whom they consulted: Lord of the Heart, spare our souls! "

"Let us serve God with love, like Mary at the supper, and let us not be covetous like Judas: may we always abide with Christ God!"

“After the resurrection of Lazarus, the Jewish children exclaimed: Hosanna for you! But the wicked Judas did not want to understand this. "

“At the Last Supper you told your disciples that one of you will betray Me. But the wicked Judas did not want to understand this! "

“To John's question - who will betray You? “You pointed out a traitor with bread, but the wicked Judas did not want to understand this!”

“Washing the feet of the disciples, You commanded them, Lord: you also do what you see. But the wicked Judas did not want to understand this! "

"Watch and pray, so as not to fall into temptation," You said to Your disciples, but the wicked Judas did not want to understand this! "

The second Evange is also read from John: about the capture of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, about his interrogation from the high priest Anna and about the threefold denial of Peter. The opposite psychology of the two apostles is involuntarily opposed - the gloomy Judas, frozen in his motionless despair, and the penitent, crying, soft and pure-hearted Peter! On further antiphons, touching chants are sung: “Today Judas leaves the Teacher and receives the devil, is blinded by the love of money, falls away from the light; and how can he see, having sold the Source of Light for thirty pieces of silver? But, having suffered for the world, shine to us, crying to You: suffering and compassion for people, glory to You! "

“Today the Creator of heaven and earth said to His disciples: the hour has come, Judas is coming to betray Me. Let no one deny Me, seeing Me on the Cross between two robbers: I suffer as a man and as a Man-lover I will save those who believe in Me! "

“Today the Jews are nailed to the Cross of the Lord, who divided the sea with a rod and led them into the wilderness. Today they pierce His ribs with a spear, covering Egypt with ulcers for their sake. And they gave the manna, which had consumed them, to drink with bile. "

“Going on free Passion, You told your disciples: if you could not overcome Me even for one hour, then how do you promise to die for Me? Look at Judas, how he does not sleep, trying to betray Me to the wicked. Stand up, pray, let none of you give up on Me, seeing Me on the Cross. "

On the next sedan, the Church sings: “What reason made you, Judas, a traitor? Have you been excommunicated from the apostolic face? Or have you been deprived of the gift of healings? Or with others, sharing food, you were removed from the meal? Or, washing the feet of others, have you been bypassed? How many benefits do you forget! All this reveals your ungrateful disposition and the immense longsuffering of the Vladyka! "

The third Evange is read from Matthew - about the judgment of the Lord by Caiaphas, about the testimony of false witnesses: about the direct question of the high priest: "I conjure you by the living God, tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God?" And about the affirmative answer of the Lord; about the indignation of the high priest, and about the unanimous decision of the Sanhedrin to put Christ to death for blasphemy. Mockery of Christ. Denial of Peter.

After the third Gospel, antiphons 7, 8 and 9 are sung.

Then the fourth Evangele is read - from John: Christ is led from Caiaphas to Pilate, but they enter Pretoria so as not to be defiled in view of the coming Easter. Pilate went out to them. Interrogation of Christ by Pilate. Pilate finds no fault in Him and wants to let Him go according to custom for the sake of the Passover. The Jews demand to release not Christ, but Barabbas. Pilate exposes Christ to scourging and abuse. In an outraged state, he leads Him to the Jews. But those even more bitterly demand the death of Christ. After some resistance, Pilate "gave Him over to them, and may be crucified."

Antiphons 10, 11 and 12 are sung, corresponding in their content to the Gospel read.

“He who dresses with Light like a robe, stands naked at the trial and receives blows to the bow from the hands He created. The Lord of Glory is nailed on the Cross. The veil of the church is being torn, the sun is dying out, unable to endure the abuse of God, before Whom everything trembles - let us worship Him! "

“For the good you showed the Jewish family, they condemned You to crucifixion, gave You bile and vinegar to drink. But reward them, Lord, according to their deeds, because they did not understand Your mercy. "

“Neither the earth that shook, nor the stones that fell apart, nor the church veil, nor the resurrection of the dead convinced the Jews. Repay them, O Lord, according to their deeds for the evil they have done. "

“Thus says the Lord to the Jews: My people! What have I done to you? Or what offended you? He healed your blind men, cleansed the lepers, raised up the weak ... My people, what have I done to you? And how did you repay Me? For manna - bile; for water - oset; instead of loving Me, they nailed Me to the Cross! .. I cannot bear it any longer - I will call on My pagans, and they will glorify Me with the Father and the Spirit, and I will give them eternal life. "

After the sedan, the Fifth Evange from Matthew is read - about Judas' suicide and further judgment by Pilate. Intervention of Pilate's wife. Pilate washes his hands. "His blood be on us and on our children!" Departure to the place of execution. After the Gospel, the last antiphons 13, 14 and 15 are sung. “Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God, before whom everything is terrified and trembling, and whom every nation sings, the priests strike on the flesh and bile is given to him. And He is ready to suffer everything in order to save us from our iniquities by His Kindness. "

"Lord, you have chosen the robber who defiled your hands in blood as your companion: accept us also according to your love for mankind!"

"The robber on the Cross said a few words, but he acquired great faith, in an instant he was saved, and the first, opening the gates of heaven, entered them: Glory to Thee, who accepted His repentance!"

“Today he hangs on a tree, hanging the earth on the waters. The King of Angels is imposed with a crown of thorns, the sky is imposed with a false purple robe, covering the sky with clouds. Accepts the stranglehold, who freed Adam in the Jordan. The bridegroom of the church is nailed down with nails. The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a copy. We worship Thy Passion, Christ! (3-waits). Show us your glorious Resurrection! " After a small ectenia, the sedal is sung: “You redeemed us from the oath of the law by Your pure blood, having nailed to the Cross and pierced with a spear, and bestowed immortality on people! Glory to Thee, our Savior! "

Then the Sixth Evange is read from Mark. Describes the mockery of the soldiers over Christ in the courtyard of Pilate and the procession to Golgotha. On the way, the Cross is placed on the oncoming villager Simon of Cyrene. At Calvary, the Lord's robes are divided among the soldiers by lot. They give Him to drink the wine "is myrrhism" - mixed with myrrh. "He's not nice." On both sides of Him, two robbers are crucified and an inscription of His guilt is placed over Him: "The king and the king." Passers-by and the priests mock Him: "He saved others, can't He save Himself?" "Come down from the Cross and we will believe You!"

The chanting of antiphons ended. The Beatitudes are sung with stichera. After a small ectenia, instead of a lamp, a prokeimen is sung: "Divide My garments for myself and for My clothes, the lot is met." - "God! Oh my God! Wonmi Mi! Thou art left me! " The feeling of being forsaken by God as a result of accepting the full weight of the original sin burdened the soul of the Crucified.

Read the Seventh Evange from Matthew. It speaks of the arrival of the soldiers with Christ at Calvary and everything else, as in the previous account of Ev. Brand. From the 6th hour to the 9th, darkness covers the earth. At 9 o'clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice: "Eli, Eli, lima savakhfani." These words were not clear to everyone. One of the soldiers, having soaked a sponge in vinegar, lifted it on a cane to the mouth of Jesus. With another loud cry, Jesus gives up his ghost. The veil of the church is being torn, the earth is shaking, the stones are falling apart. The coffins are opened - many of the dead are resurrected and appear in the city to many. The centurion and others with him, seeing what is happening, say: "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" The 50th Psalm is read, giving some respite to the difficult Calvary experiences. After the psalm, Evangele is read again - the most important, from Luke, again about the crucifixion. Jesus prays: “Father, let them go! They do not know what they are doing! " Again mockery from the people, soldiers and chiefs. One of the robbers also takes part in them, but another robber restrains him and turns with prayer to Jesus, who promises him paradise with Him. Meanwhile, darkness covers the earth - from the sixth hour to the ninth. At the ninth hour Jesus cried out loudly: "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit." And he passed away. Seeing what was happening, the centurion, who was standing at the Cross, said: "Truly this man was a righteous man." And all the people who had gathered for the spectacle, seeing what was happening, went home, beating themselves in the chest. All who knew Him stood there and looked from a distance, including the women who accompanied Him from Galilee.

After the Eighth Gospel, the singing of the Threesome begins (that is, the canon with a reduced number of songs - instead of nine, only three), compiled by Cosma Miumsky: “Matins to Thee, mercy for the sake of Himself who irresistibly exuded and to passions impassively bowed down to the Word of God, give me peace, fallen, loving mankind. “Having washed your feet and having been cleansed by the communion of Your Divine Sacrament, Your servants, Christ, ascend with To6 from Zion to the great Mount of Olives”. “Look, friends, you said to them, do not be afraid: the hour has come for me to be taken and killed by the hands of the wicked. All of you will disperse and leave Me, but I will gather you so that you will preach about My love for mankind. "

K ondak: “Come, let us glorify the Crucified for us! Seeing Him on the Cross, Mary said: although you endure crucifixion, you are both the Son and My God! "

And to the s: “Seeing His Lamb, drawn to the slaughter, Mary, loosening her hair, followed Him with other women, exclaiming: where are you going, Child? For what haste? Is the second marriage taking place in Cana of Galilee? And Thou art in a hurry to turn water into wine? Should I also go with You? Or wait for You? Say the word to Me, do not pass silently past Me, which You have kept clean: for You are both the Son and My God!

Canto 8: "The pillar of malice is denounced by the God-repulsive divine adolescents: the vain congregation advises against Christ the reeling of the lawless, the belly that holds the hand is taught to kill: She will bless all creation with it, glorifying forever."

“Drive sleepiness away from your eyes,” Christ said to his disciples, “do not faint in prayer, lest you fall into temptation, and especially you, Simone! The stronger the greater the temptation! Reason, Peter, Me, Whom all creation blesses and praises for ever! "

“I will never say a single bad word to You, Vladyka! I will die with You, even though everyone has turned away from You, ”exclaimed Peter. "Not flesh and blood, but Thy Father revealed Thee to me, Whom all creation blesses and praises for ever."

“You have not experienced the depth of divine wisdom and intelligence, and you have not comprehended the abyss of My destinies, man,” said the Lord. "Being flesh, do not boast: you will deny Me three times, Whom all creation blesses and glorifies for all ages."

Canto 9: "The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, without the corruption of God the Word Who gave birth, we magnify the Mother of God."

After the trinity song, the famous luminary is sung, which especially reveals the art and feelings of our church singers and especially touches those who pray: "Thou hast vouchsafed a prudent robber in a single hour of heaven, Lord: enlighten me and save me as a godfather tree!" Listening to the triune and the luminary, we enter into a special depth of feelings and experiences evoked in us by the divine service of Holy Week.

Every moment of these experiences resonates deeply in our hearts, but does not give rise to in us either a feeling of horror and fear of the coming wrath of God, or a feeling of expectation of a terrible, merciless execution. On the contrary, our heart, overflowing with deep compassion and love, remains full of deep peace and joy, plunging into the immense abyss of Divine love and indulgence for the human race!

After the lamp, the Ninth Evange is read (from John). At the Cross of the Lord stood His Mother, and Mary of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene, and his beloved disciple John. The Lord entrusts His Mother to John, and John adopts His Mother. And from that day on, John took the Mother of His Lord into his house. Jesus Christ was tormented by thirst. One of the soldiers, dipping a sponge in vinegar and sticking it on a cane, quenched His thirst. Having said, "It is finished," the Lord gave up his ghost.

Since it was Friday and Saturday was coming, which in that year also coincided with Easter, the Jews, not wanting to leave bodies on the crosses on such a day, asked Pilate for permission to cut the legs of the crucified and remove their bodies from the crosses. Pilate gave permission. The robbers, who were still alive, had their shins broken. And Christ, who had already died, did not break the legs, but only one of the soldiers stabbed Him with a spear, and blood and water flowed from the wound. This is how the prophecies were fulfilled: “The bone will not be broken by Him” and “they will look to Him who was pierced”.

After the 9th Gospel, praise psalms are read and praise stichera are sung: “My first-born son Israel did two wicked deeds: I, the fountain of living water, left me and dug for himself a worthless well. He crucified me on a tree, but Barabbas begged and let go! The sky was horrified by this, and the Sun hid its rays, but you, Israel, were not ashamed and put Me to death: forgive them, Holy Father, for they do not know what they are doing. "

Each member of Thy most pure Flesh has suffered persecution for us: the head is thorns; face - spitting; lanits - choking; the mouth took in bile dissolved in vinegar; ears - impious blasphemy; shoulders - scourging; hands - a cane; the whole body is pacification on the cross; arms and legs - nails; ribs - a spear. He who suffered for us and freed us from the passions, who descended to us by mercy and lifted us up, the omnipotent Lord, have mercy on us! "

“Seeing you crucified, all creation trembled; the foundations of the earth shook from fear of Your power ... The Jewish family perished, the church veil was torn in two, and the dead rose from the graves ... The centurion, seeing the miracle, was horrified; and Thy Mother, crying loudly, exclaimed: “How can I not weep and not be tormented by my heart, seeing You naked, like a criminal hanging on the Cross! Crucified, buried and resurrected from the dead, Lord, glory to Thee! "

After the stichera, the Tenth Evange from Mark is read: Joseph of Arimathea dared to enter Pilate and ask for the Body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised that He had already died, and, having summoned the centurion, learned from him that Christ had indeed died, and allowed Joseph to take the Body. Joseph bought the shroud, removed the Body from the Cross, wrapped the shroud around Him and put Him in a new tomb, hewn out of stone, in his garden. And he rolled a stone to the door of the coffin. At the same time, Maria Magdalina and Maria Iosieva (i.e. the Mother of God) were present and watched where He was laid.

The Great Doxology is not sung on this day, but read. After the pleading ectenia, it reads Odinadtsat about Evangele, according to John. According to this Gospel, Joseph, the secret disciple of Christ, “for fear for the sake of the Jews,” asks Pilate for the Body of I and Su so. Pilate gives permission to take. Nicodemus also came and brought with him aromas. They took the Body of Jesus, wrapped it in clothes with aromas, as is customary among the Jews. In that place there was a garden, and in the garden there is a new coffin, in which no one has yet been laid. There, for the sake of Jewish Friday, since the tomb was close, they laid Jesus.

After the Gospel, verse stichera are sung: “All creation changes from fear, seeing You hanging on the Cross: the sun has darkened, the foundations of the earth shook, everything sympathizes with the One who created everything; Whoever endured for us, glory to Thee! "

“Lord, when You ascended to the Cross, fear and trembling seized all creation; You forbade the earth to swallow those who crucified You, but you commanded hell to release prisoners, Judge of the living and the dead, who came to renew people, to give them life and not death, - Human-loving, glory to Thee! "

“The reed is already wet for judgment; Jesus is judged by the unrighteous judges and condemned to the Cross; all creation suffers, seeing the Lord on the Cross. But, having accepted our bodily nature and suffering for my sake, good Lord, glory to Thee! "

It reads Dvenadtsat about Evangele according to Matthew. “On the morning of the next day, after Friday, the apostles and Pharisees gathered to Pilate and said: we remembered that this deceiver promised to rise on the third day. Order to guard the tomb until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal the Body and tell people that He has risen from the dead And the last deception will be worse than the first. Pilate replied: You have a guard - go, guard as you know. They went, sealed the coffin and set up guards! " After the reading of the Trisagion, the troparion of the day is sung: "You redeemed us from the oath of the law by Thy Most Pure Blood, having nailed on the Cross and pierced with a spear, and granted people immortality, glory to You!" This is followed by the usual end of Matins, without the first hour, which is postponed to the next morning.

The service of the 12 Gospels is central to the worship of the entire Holy Week. It describes and recalls all the amazing events of Maundy Thursday, the nights on Good Friday and Good Friday.

A number of great events are taking place before us: the Last Supper, washing the feet, establishing the Sacrament of Communion, prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, taking into custody and the whole agonizing night of interrogations, bullying, abuse and beatings inflicted on the Lord, Peter's denial, the Lord's condemnation to death, the approval of the sentence Pilate, the procession to Golgotha, the crucifixion and death of the Lord, the burial of His Body in the garden of Joseph of Arimathea, the sealing of the grave and its guarding. Liturgical chants almost do not touch the dogmatic meaning of Golgotha, do not give its dogmatic interpretation, but it is clearly felt by a believing and loving heart. There is no talk of the wrath of God, no fear of the avenging hand of God. One can only feel the sacrifice of boundless love for humanity, and, moreover, love not only of the Suffering Son of God, but also of God the Father who sent this suffering to this. “God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). This is what Eunagelia says, and so does the Divine Service of Holy Week, even in its most mournful and shocking moments. This is the Orthodox perception of Calvary.

"My soul, my soul, rise up!" Open your eyes and get up from the geho bed; make up your mind to serve God, I live and the truth, as you have served hitherto as an idol of passions; and everything else is already ready for your salvation. The Gospel is ready to admonish you in all cases of life; the precious garment of Christ's merits is ready to cover your spiritual nakedness; the Body and Blood of the Son of God is ready for the saturation of your gladness; oil and balm are ready to heal your wounds; the almighty grace of the Holy Spirit is ready to strengthen your weak powers; gogov is the very crown for the crowning of your small exploits. "Rise up, may Christ God have mercy on you." You hear how He speaks with the voice of the Gospel from His heavenly supper: “And there is still a place” (Luke 15:22). This is the place for you and me, my soul! Let us hasten to become worthy of him, until midnight came, the doors of the palace were not closed, the oil in the lamp of our life was not extinguished! Amen.

Innokenty, apxiep. Kherson

Our hearts are filled with forgiveness, peace and love for each other

After Small Compline, Father Methodius said a small word and asked everyone on bended knee for forgiveness:

“Beloved fathers, brothers and sisters, bless me on behalf of Vladyka Pankraty to ask for forgiveness. On this magnificent day, the Lord made it possible to reconcile with God, with his guardian angel, his neighbors, especially with those people whom we really offend, seduce, embarrass with our behavior. But the Lord gives us such days as the Holy Forty Day - the most beautiful time for the human soul, the golden time of repentance that we can bring to our merciful and forgiving Lord.

Bless and forgive me holy fathers, brothers, sisters, your most unworthy brother for sins, I have also created in word, deed, thought and all of mine.

In the Valaam Monastery in this continuous Maslenitsa week, they also bake a lot of pancakes for treating the brethren and numerous guests. Every day, the monastery chefs with joy and love prepare 450 large pancakes for the brotherly meal, and many more for addition and distribution to all comers. Pancakes with condensed milk and sour cream are a consolation for all the inhabitants of the monastery, because it is so necessary to strengthen yourself before a strict many-day fast.

On February 16, 2019, Abbot Methodius, a resident of the Valaam Monastery, has his birthday. Brothers of the monastery and numerous guests who arrived on the island despite the winter and not the most favorable weather conditions came to congratulate their beloved spiritual father and friend.

Hegumen Methodius, who came with Vladyka Pankraty to the dilapidated Valaam monastery in 1993, made a special contribution to the revival of the monastery. His obedience and labors bore abundant fruits in the church field. Father Methodius, thanks to his immeasurable love, managed to unite around himself a huge number of people, was able to help them come to God, to the Church, to faith. Communication with Father Methodius radically changed their lives. Through his labors, many have gained firm hope in the will of God and have embarked on the correct path of salvation, ascending the steps of the ladder of life to the Kingdom of Heaven.

On February 15, 2019, on the day of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the Hegumen of the Valaam Monastery, Bishop Pankraty, visited the recently ill monk Anthony and presented him with a commemorative jubilee medal in honor of the "30th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan."

"Monk Anthony, whom today I came to visit and present a jubilee medal in memory of the 30th anniversary of the completion of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, also told me about his path to God in the thorns of the Afghan war. Monk Anthony (Sergei Machulin) was then the commander of a special forces unit and participated in dangerous operations behind enemy lines, "writes the Abbot of the monastery, Bishop Pankraty of Trinity.